605 Even if death comes the next instan (2/2)

Lloyd still had the instinctive desire to stay alive. Yet, his deep despair kept pushing this instinct down.

He thought back to the past, about his family, dreams, and companions… all his memories flashed by him in black and white, with no color and no sound.

Only when he thought about Lana did his memories retain color.

His efforts would allow her to last for a while longer in here… If she could make it out of here alive, that would give meaning to the last amount of time he spent alive.

This way, he would have carried out the oath he swore to be an adventurer people could be proud of.

He did everything he could already, with no regrets.

…But, he still didn't want to die!!

Even though he had resolved himself already, tears still flowed out when he was truly faced with death.

'I don't want to die… I don't want to die all alone by myself…'

Lloyd didn't have anything left except for tears of pain and despair. All he could do was struggle uselessly.

Death was coming for him.

At this time, footsteps approached.

'Death's footsteps weren't an analogy after all? This saying was real?'

”Lloyd!” He heard his name being shouted.

Lloyd reflexively looked in the voice's direction to see the girl that he had intentionally split up from.

”Lana?”

”Wonderful, I finally found you.” Lana smiled as she swiftly rushed over to him, kneeled, and hugged him.

Lloyd instantly felt as if he had been saved as he felt her warm embrace… but soon, he widened his eyes.

”Why did you come to find me?”

Lana didn't reply and only hugged him tighter.

”I'm almost about to… no longer be myself. Hurry and get away from me!” Lloyd tried to struggle out of her embrace, but found it impossible to muster up the energy.

”I'm not leaving… I don't want to be by myself,” Lana told him softly.

”You have to leave! Otherwise…”

”Who cares about death? I want to be together with you.”

Her soft voice contained an unshakeable iron will.

”Lana…”

”Lloyd…” The girl looked directly into his eyes. ”After you left me, I discovered that death isn't the truly frightening thing. What's truly frightening is dying by yourself. Ever since we fell in here, we were probably destined to die already… If I was by myself, I would have given in to despair long ago. It was only thanks to you being by my side that I could maintain my spirit and hope. No… I should say that I was pretending to believe there was hope.” Lana smiled bitterly.

Lloyd remained silent.

Lana was a student at the Sage Academy. She would know far more than him about this forbidden district, and thus better understand just how terrifying this land of death was.

”Not long after you left me behind, I couldn't take it anymore. Rather than struggling fruitlessly, I might as well instead greet the end together with you… I realize that my way of thinking is probably wrong. I should be trying my best to survive and escape even if I think it's hopeless. Otherwise, I'm doing wrong by your sacrifice. But, I really can't… I'm only a student, not an adventurer. I don't have so much courage. I'm really afraid, Lloyd. I want you to be by my side… I don't want to be alone… I don't want to die by myself…”

Tears started rolling down Lana's cheeks as she said all this.

Lloyd was moved as he did his best to lift his hands and hugged her back.

”I'm also really afraid… Lana… I was actually so happy to see you again… Even though I know that this isn't good, I was still happy to the point where I thought I was saved. I thought that I was the one helping you, but actually I was the one relying on you… It was only because of you that I could maintain what little courage I had left. I'm sorry… and thank you…”

”Lloyd…” Even more tears poured down Lana's face. ”I'm the one… who should say sorry…”

The two hugged tightly while crying.